


The Raven

by MKK



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Animals, Inspired by Poetry, M/M, Mental Instability, Parody, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:07:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27143584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MKK/pseuds/MKK
Summary: A re-telling of Edgar Allen Poe's classic poem with a Garak/Bashir twist - Garak is lonely and unhappy without Bashir after the war and takes matters into his own hands during a nighttime visit from the good doctor.  Just in time for Halloween...
Relationships: Julian Bashir & Elim Garak, Julian Bashir/Elim Garak
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	The Raven

**Author's Note:**

> I first posted this six years ago, but recently re-read Poe's original and realized that my parody could benefit from additional verses and from some revisions to the rhyming pattern. So now here it is again - new and improved, I hope!

Based on - and first stanza from - "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe, 1845.

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,  
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,  
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,  
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door,  
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -  
Only this and nothing more."

The door creaked open and I gazed, both astounded and amazed,  
As the doctor stood unfazed and curious at my chamber door.  
‘Twas a trick of mind, I fear – what strange force had brought him here,  
For he never ventured near - I never saw him any more,  
Since the TV series ended, never saw him any more.  
All those lunches, never more.

Ah, distinctly I remember that dear profile, tall and slender,  
And his eyes were like an ember with a softly glowing core.  
But he spoke not one word to me, and in fact he looked right through me,  
As his gaze was drifting to the eerie bird above my door,  
To the bird hid in the shadows, far above my chamber door.  
Perched in silence, nothing more.

"My dear doctor, what a pleasure! And the sight of you a treasure  
That no words begin to measure, for your visits I adore.  
You’re my oldest, dearest friend, but alas most friendships end,  
Still the happy memories tend to make me long for days of yore,  
Yes, the memory of your friendship makes me long for days of yore.  
But those days are never more.”

Yet the doctor simply stared, though his eyes were wide and scared,  
And I asked him if he cared to tell me what he did abhor.  
He glanced past me, never speaking, till we heard the faintest squeaking  
Of the army of voles streaking now around my chamber floor;  
Yes, my voles were quickly streaking all around my chamber floor.  
Hissing, biting, more and more.

The doctor cried, "You are not well! Is there something you should tell  
Me - maybe start with why in HELL is there a raven at your door?  
And - forgive me, I forgot to inform you it is not  
A very healthy place you've got, with all these voles here on the floor,  
All these dirty and disgusting hordes of voles here on the floor.  
And I worry there are more.”

"My dear doctor, how absurd!" I laughed then at his angry word.  
"Why, the voles are for the BIRD!" I smiled as brightly as before.  
"Surely you must see, that in my chamber they must be,  
And my raven, you’ll agree, needs to consume these by the score,  
As he loves me and supports me as you used to do before.  
For I’ve missed you, even more.”

“Oh, I’ve missed you too,” he said, as he gently touched my head,  
“And I’ve wondered what had led you far from home after the war.  
But I’ve found you here at last, and though your problems may seem vast -“  
“No, they’re not,” I scoffed, aghast, “and do not judge me any more.  
Why, I’m just as well as you are, and your pity I deplore;  
I am lonely, nothing more.”

He smiled sadly then. “I worry, for you left in such a hurry,”  
And he paused and watched a furry creature crawl out from a drawer.  
“I was hoping you’d return or at the least would come to learn  
That all those things for which you yearn are here again and many more;  
Yes, I wish you’d reconsider and come back with me before –  
Well, before you are no more.”

I wanted only to convince, but alas I saw him wince  
And could hardly blame him since the stench was too strong to ignore.  
But I smiled amid his choking and proclaimed, “You must be joking!  
Leave my friends? You are provoking me and that I can’t ignore,  
No, I cannot leave my friends and leave my home behind,” I swore,  
“Sadly once, but never more.” 

His eyes grew frightened and distraught, so I smiled once more and thought  
Of many things that could be brought back to renew our old rapport.  
“I know what!” I said. “Let’s try and have the raven, you, and I,  
And a vole which I’ll supply sit down together on the floor,  
Sit together talking through this and perhaps have lunch before  
You disappear forevermore.”

"Ah," the doctor said, relieved, "I’m so sorry I believed  
That your mind became deceived, once my visits were no more.  
No, there's nothing wrong with you that months of therapy can't undo,  
And the raven can come too!" he cried, and steered me toward the door,  
Took my arm and tried to pull me, tried to drag me toward the door.  
Shrieked the raven, "Nevermore!"

And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, STILL is sitting,  
On beloved Julian's shoulder, where he's chained behind my door,  
And his eyes have all the seeming of a captive's that is dreaming,  
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws a shadow on the floor,  
Of my precious little pets who'll never leave me any more.  
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore!"


End file.
